"I do feel a bit sad" - Shilen Patel backed after big West Brom, Tony Mowbray decision | OneFootball

FLW's West Brom fan pundit has given his verdict on Tony Mowbray's departure from the club

Tony Mowbray has departed West Brom after the team's 3-1 loss to Derby County on Monday afternoon.

The Baggies lost five of their last six fixtures with the 61-year-old in charge, damaging their chances of a play-off place.

The Midlands outfit are six points adrift of Coventry City in sixth with just two games remaining, with Mowbray lasting just 17 games in charge since returning to the club in January.

West Brom will now be looking for the next manager to lead the team for the start of next season.

Tony Mowbray departure verdict

When asked about Mowbray’s exit, FLW’s West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess claimed it was the right decision by the club.

He is disappointed that the veteran coach couldn’t make it work, but highlighted his inability to get a tune out of Adam Armstrong as one example of why a change was needed.

“Although every Albion fan wanted Tony Mowbray’s second spell at the club to be a success, you definitely have to say it’s 100 per cent the right decision,” Burgess told Football League World.

“For example, [Monday] a lot of the decisions made by Mowbray have been quite confusing over the course of this tenure.

“His utilisation of Adam Armstrong, you’d have thought a player who he previously managed on various occasions he’d be able to get the best out of, but Armstrong’s struggled quite a bit in an Albion shirt to, in general, get on the end of quite a lot of chances.

“He’s been quite starved of service, really, despite Albion’s xG numbers he’s not really had that many clear cut opportunities.

“But, going back to [Monday’s] game, you look at the team sheet, you saw a midfield of Isaac Price, Ousmane Diakité and Grady Diangana, so many Albion fans would’ve been confused to see Grady Diangana starting alongside Diakité in defensive midfield.

“So I feel that the writing was on the wall, unfortunately.

“I do feel a bit sad for Mowbray because these players very much seem to be the case of downing tools.

“[Monday’s] performance wasn’t inspiring by any means, just two shots on target against Derby County and just when you look at the defending it’s very, very, very poor.

“So, definitely the right decision by Shilen Patel and just quite unfortunate that things didn’t seem to work out for Mowbray.”

West Brom are currently 10th in the Championship table with just two games remaining.

Mowbray change comes as no surprise

The last few weeks have been quite disappointing for West Brom, even when accounting for their current injury issues.

Their play-offs hopes have completely disintegrated, leaving them with no hope with two games to play.

Mowbray stepped into the team at a difficult time after Carlos Corberan left, and fans will always remember his first stint at the Hawthorns fondly, but this simply wasn’t working out.